The Lion and the Lark
by PreludetoaRequiem
Summary: When Soraya's father promises her to a Narnian beast in exchange for his life, what will she do? Will she honor the deal? Will she fall in love with the sensitive king trapped in the body of a beast? A Narnian twist on Beauty and the Beast. Peter/OC
1. Father's Return

"The Lion and the Lark" Chapter One: Everything Changes

**Disclaimer:** **I do not own the Chronicles of Narnia or Peter Pevensie although I wish I did. *sighs* Oh, well. I also do not own the Beauty and the Beast upon which this Fairy Tale was based. I do, however own my plot, Soraya Shadell, and her family. Enjoy!**

Soraya Shadell gazed out of her open window. Here she was again, thinking of the worst.

After finishing the chores and putting her siblings to bed, the only ones awake now were Soraya's older brother Jonathan and herself. Jonathan was out riding, but she was once again awaiting her father's return from his travels to Narnia. Theron Shadell was a politician of sorts, often sent to faraway lands to negotiate certain peace treaties and trade agreements. Soraya herself hadn't traveled to far away places, as she was born and raised in Meridell for all 17 years of her life. The only traveling to faraway lands she had partaken in had been in the books she'd read.

Soraya wasn't like any other young women her age. Beside the fact that she was well schooled by her father on everything from archery to sewing, she'd rather read all day than gossip and would take great pains to avoid the teasing of the chauvinistic men in her village.

_All men are the same,_ _afraid of any challenge, intellectual or otherwise from a lowly woman whom they all see to be beneath them; but why are they always so intimidated? _This was only the tip of the iceberg when it came to her thoughts on the subject. _The next time they laugh at me, I will tell them this: You may laugh at me because I'm different, but I laugh at you because you're all the same._

However, the intimidation factor itself was true. Women and girls her age took particular pleasure in snickering behind her back, as young women like Soraya were typically unheard of and unnatural in their opinion, except for her Mother. She was the only one Soraya knew who broken the stereotypical mold. It wasn't that she wasn't pretty. In truth, Soraya was about average, with long dark tresses and blue-grey eyes. She was slender and is a little taller than most girls, standing at 5'8" without any shoes on, but even though she was decent looking, most men avoided her like the plague.

_Most. _

"Except for that insufferable jerk, Darrin," Soraya sighed. "The only way he'd leave me alone is if I lit a torch underneath him." She chuckled at the thought.

Soraya let out a deep gust of air that she hadn't realized she'd been holding in. "That's enough with thinking about people and pain that I don't need. Especially now, on the night of Father's return, I should be trying to be excited and happy to see him back home and in good health."

Turning towards the garden and leaning slightly out of her window, she listened intently. _Horses. I hear the horses. That's Shadow whinnying! Father's home!_ Without a second thought, she raced down the stairs toward the front door and threw it open.

Right away she recognized her father's body and build, but the sight of his face took his breath away. Upon seeing his pale, clammy appearance Soraya glanced twice to make sure that it was really her beloved father she was looking at.

"_Father," she began, "what has happened to you? You are a sight and look as though you've seen a ghost. Are you ill?" _

As soon as he dismounted his horse, Shadow, Theron Shadell, strode over to his daughter and engulfed her in a bone crushing hug. Gasping, Theron whispered, _"Oh, daughter. How I have missed you so. I fear that I am not ill; however, I wish that I were if it could reverse what I have had to agree to. I wish I could take back this entire trip…"_

This comment from her father instantly sent Soraya into a slight panic. _"What? Father, I am not sure I know what you are talking about. Maybe we should-"_

But her father cut her off, _"Come, Soraya. Inside. We need to get inside, for I cannot discuss this here. Something has happened. Something horrible, but I bid that talk in the study first. This directly affects you. I beg of you: please, heed my request."_

Grabbing his satchel, Theron urged his daughter inside their country home. Until now, Soraya's home has been the pinnacle of sanctuary for her, but as they continued down the hall towards her father's study, Soraya had a feeling that all she felt and all she knew, everything, would be radically changed after tonight. For the better or for the worse, she did not know. She only knew that _nothing_ would be the same.


	2. Theron's Tale

"The Lion and the Lark" Chapter Two – Do What Ye Will (Theron's Tale)

**DISCLAIMER: Don't own Narnia, never have, and never will. However, Soraya, her family and the Desmondare Forest are all mine. **

Theron Shadell was out of breath as he slammed the door to his study shut. Quickly, he dropped his overnight bag on his desk and looked at his daughter, Soraya, who was gazing at him in fright.

_My poor daughter, oh, I wish she didn't have to partake in any of this. _He sighed. He had to tell her. Sooner, rather than later, shivering at the ramifications that would occur should he not uphold his part of the bargain.

"Soraya," he began. "I'm afraid that my travels did not go as I – we had all hoped. There were some obstacles that barred me and I never made it to my destination. Where should I begin?"

Soraya looked on at her father with her crystalline gaze; she had never seen him this frazzled. Even when her mother died and he was faced with the prospect of raising five children on his own, her father stared fear in the face and became the sole supporter of the family without question. _Mother, if only you could be here now. Help prepare me for what is to come. _It was true; she still ached for the loss of her mother, even though her passing was not recent. Endora died when Soraya was only 10, meaning that Jonathan was eleven, Faith was eight, Nathaniel was five, and Kaelin was only three. One of her most vivid memories of that time was the day of her mother's burial. After the funeral, she remembered sitting in an oversized armchair at her grandmother's house with Nathaniel and Faith in her lap, one on either leg, consoling them with whatever words of comfort she could muster. She wasn't sure of the transition, but sometime after her mother died, she stepped in and assumed the role of caregiver to her brothers and sisters. It just came naturally. She cooked, cleaned, and taught her younger siblings everything including how to read and write and how to do arithmetic. Faith was much like Soraya, in both looks and brains. Both inherited their father's dark silky mane and their mother's kind caring eyes and slightly curvy build. Her brothers and Kaelin, her youngest sister tended to take more intellect from their mother, but they all looked more like Theron: tall, energetic frames with warm brown eyes and dark hair-except for Kaelin, who inherited his mother's shiny platinum blonde curls. She was wondering what her own children would look like one day, when her father cleared his throat abruptly, effectively ending her brief daydream.

"The only way to tell you this is to come right out with it. There is no way to break this gently, I'm afraid. In a fortnight's time, you are to be given to the beast of Narnia," Theron sighed.

This snapped Soraya back into reality faster than a bucket of cold ice water being dumped over her head. She felt the blood drain from her face. "What?" She quizzed.

Theron continued, "Last Thursday when I left, I had told you that I was traveling to Archenland to meet with the King and General about a treaty declaring war between Archenland and Bree. If all things had gone as planned I would have arrived on Saturday and finished my business there by Tuesday, Monday if I was lucky and I would have been home by Wednesday. As it is, we are at Sunday night tonight and I was severely delayed. When I departed and left you all here, the ride began as suspected and I was to believe all was well. Little did I know…I encountered an unplanned blizzard and we were forced to take cover, but the snow and sleet became so thick Shadow and I could hardly see. At last, I came to this castle. It was beautiful, even covered in snow, unlike anything I had ever seen before. I knocked on the door, and no one answered, so I entered."

"Go on," Soraya gently urged. "What happened next?"

Master Shadell looked hesitantly at his daughter and then began again, "I entered to find that no one was there, but I could smell this delightful food and feel the warmth of a hot fire on my skin. I knew that if I didn't get out of the storm soon, I would perish and never see any of you ever again. I continued through the house, until I stumbled upon a table with an elegant dinner prepared. Before I knew what was happening, I couldn't stop myself and began to eat some of the food and drunk some of the wine. Halfway through, I felt a chill move down my spine, and I turned to find a huge monster gazing at me from across the dining room. 'WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY HOME?' he bellowed. 'STATE YOUR BUSINESS HERE!' I drew my dagger and told the beast the truth, even though the sight of him made my blood run cold. He was unlike any other creature I had ever seen before in my entire life: at least seven feet tall with massive paws, and he was covered in fur. If I had to guess, he was a cross between a lion, a bear and a wolf. That's the best and only way I know to describe him. He watched me with a gaze that made me feel as though he could see through any lie I thought about telling before I told it. However, that was the one thing about him that was not frightening about him. His eyes. They were a deep blue, and they were kind, despite his terrifying exterior. After I told him my tale, he agreed to let me spend a night in his castle and offered to put Shadow up in his stable upon the condition that I wouldn't touch anything or take anything in the castle. But that wasn't good enough…"

Upon seeing his hesitation, Soraya considered asking her father to speed up his tale, but once she looked at his face, she instantly changed her mind. Obviously, this wasn't the worst part of the story, and it was about to get bad before it got better. It was difficult for him, so she decided to let him take his own time telling it.

Theron gulped. "I wasn't grateful and lucky enough to be spared thus far. No. In the morning, the snow had thawed and I was ready to depart. But, as I walked down the hallway, I came upon a single rose in a glass casing, the most beautiful flower I had ever seen in my entire life. I instantly felt as though a spell was coursing through me and I needed to bring it back home with me. He caught me – the beast, that is, and flew into a rage. Right then and there, he demanded my life and told me that I would forever be his prisoner, unless someone else would wish to trade places with me. Beast said he had but one desire, but forbade me to tell others. I could only think of you…but now as I am telling you this tale, I feel as though I have been so incredibly selfish. Please forgive me." Soraya's father's face contorted into a terrible grimace.

_He is really in pain, _she thought. _Father really regrets this. Oh, it must be terrible. But what will I do? How does he even expect me to trade places with him and become this creature's prisoner when I hardly even know him? I don't even know his name…_

Theron closed his eyes and reminisced, memories flooding his mind like a second sight. It was a few more moments before he began again, "I agreed to send you back within a fortnight in exchange for my life. But, if you don't wish to go I completely understand. However, the beast is intent on taking a prisoner, be it either you or I. But I feel that you should know that as long as you go willingly, he will not harm you. He promised that, no matter the circumstance, no harm will befall you. I'm sorry, daughter. My Soraya, my darling, oh how I wish I could change this."

This made her instantly consider her decision. Strangely, it didn't take as long as what she'd thought it would take to come to a conclusion. Soraya took a deep breath. "I'll go," she replied.

Her father appeared to consider this for a few moments, but then he changed his mind. "I'll think not! This whole scenario is completely ridiculous! I'll return to the beast and demand reason! I am alone in this; no one else will share this guilt."

"Father, he'll kill you! No, I **will** go." She paused for a moment. Emotions would not do well with him now. She needed to turn to the logical side of things to persuade him. She continued to beseech him, "Please, I need to be the one to honor the deal. With you gone, this family would go under. We would have no income. Even if Jeremy could run the small farm we have, he would need help, which would mean that I would not be able to work. Please, father, please listen to me! It will be fine. If the beast promises no harm to me, then I will be alright. Mother always taught me that family comes first in life. Please, let me do this and allow me this one sacrifice on behalf of my beloved relatives."

Quick as a whip, Theron turned to face his daughter and instantly realized the impact of her words. She was wise beyond her years, perhaps even wiser than he. After a brief time, he finally consented, "Alright, you may go. But you will take Shadow there and keep him at the Beast's stables. If he harms one hair on your head, you are to travel straight home, no matter what he threatens. Do you hear me, Soraya? If harm befalls you, that is it and the deal is over. Should that happen, your brother and I will take care of him."

"When do I leave?" She quizzed.

"You should depart the day after tomorrow, preferably in the early morning. That way you will get there by the early evening and not have to travel during nightfall, since you are traveling through the Desmondare Forest. God only knows what creatures dwell there in the darkest of the night."

"Well, then, I must bid you adieu Father, and get some rest. After all, I have a long journey ahead of me."

Theron eyed her with pride. "Go then, daughter, if you must. Do remember that I love you with all my heart. You are my pride, my joy, and the future of this family. You mother would be so proud of you. Goodnight, my darling, and good dreams go with you."

Soraya smiled, "And with you as well. Goodnight, Father. I love you."

With a small wave, she turned and headed upstairs toward her room. As she blew out the candle before bed, her last thoughts before drifting off to sleep were of her new destiny: spending her life with the Beast in the faraway land of Narnia. Plagued with both hesitation and anxiety, Soraya fell into a fitful sleep.

_**Author's Note: Please review! The more reviews I get, the more I write. I am sending a big virtual *HUG* to all readers who review. Thanks so much!**_

_**Teaser: Next chapter, Soraya will arrive at the castle. What will happen? Will her courage succeed in keeping her strong? Or will she wither in fear? First impressions are vital. What will she think of the beast? Even more importantly, what will he think of her?**_


	3. Preparing For the Journey Onward

"The Lion and the Lark" Chapter Three – Preparing for the Journey Onward

**DISCLAIMER: Once again, when it comes to Narnia, I don't own it. Wish I did, but alas…I don't.**

Amidst a tangled mess of blankets and sheets, Soraya awoke in the wee hours of the morning, after a night of mangled dreams and unrest. Looking out her window, she saw that it was still dark outside.

_I hardly doubt that anyone other than I am up at this point and time. _Sighing, she continued her thoughts. _Though I doubt I will be able to return to sleep, especially not now. Oh, well…perhaps I should finish some of the morning chores; head down to the barn and feed the animals…_

With a new thought, she grinned. _Shadow. I'll take Shadow and warm him up. He needs his morning ride. _

If there was one thing that Soraya loved in this world, besides her family and her beloved books, it was horses. They were so simple, yet graceful and elegant. Being around them calmed her nerves, no matter what was happening in her life. Quietly, with Shadow on her mind, Soraya got up. Tiptoeing, she made her bed, got dressed and snuck out of the house, walking down the hill to the Shadells' barn.

She could hear Shadow whinnying in the distance, and smiled again. _That's my dear boy. He must be waiting for me. I wonder if he knows I'm on my way._

Perhaps her thoughts had merit. Shadow, a black Arabian horse that she'd had since she was a small child, always seemed to know what she was feeling or what was on her mind. Even though, humans and horses couldn't understand each other's language, of course. Somehow though, the connection between the horse and rider was like no other; without a single word or expression of emotion, Shadow always just knew.

Soraya approached his stall, and cooed, "Good morning, Shadow. Sleep well, my dear friend?"

Laughing, she looked at the horse. He gazed at her with his kind brown eyes, and she ran her fingers through his mane as she spoke to him again, "I hope you did. We have a long journey ahead of us – you and I. We both need our rest. I might not be getting much sleep, but I hope that you aren't hindered, dear one. What do you think? I know it's a bit early, but are you ready for your morning ride?"

The Arabian eagerly pawed at the ground. With a giggle, Soraya beamed with pride. "Of course you are! You're always rearing and ready to go, aren't you?"

Quickly, she moved and tacked Shadow up; arranging his travel blanket and saddle, bit and harness. In no time at all, he was ready to go and Soraya eased herself up and on to the saddle. Grabbing the reigns, she gently prodded him forward by turning her feet inward and coaching Shadow. "Come on, boy. It's time to go! What do you say; do you think you can handle a gallop this morning?"

That was all it took. With a start, Shadow was off, running at a lightning speed. This was how Soraya loved to spend her mornings: enjoying her best friend, and the wind blowing through her hair. Even though she never left the ground, she felt as if she were flying – weightless, without a care in the world. Riding helped her to escape her stress and worries weighing heavily on her heart. Sadly though, all good things must come to an end at some point, and when she finished warming Shadow up about an hour later, she brought him back to the paddock and returned to the Shadell residence.

On the kitchen table she found a note from her father, reading:

_Soraya – _

_Good Morning, my dear one. I hope you slept well and awoke this morning well-rested. I'm headed into town to gather some things you'll need for your trip this afternoon. Hopefully, I shouldn't take much time and will be home before you know it. I love you all and will see you soon. _

_With love, _

_Father_

With a glance out the window towards the direction of town, Soraya thought to herself. _Apparently, I wasn't the only early riser this morning. Father and I both have a lot on our mind…though it's understandable that I do. I mean, after all…I don't exactly have a choice in this matter. I have to leave my home, town and family all in one night – tonight, in fact in favor of going to live with some beast that I don't even know. No one else has to…just me. Only me. So no wonder why Father is ridden with thoughts. I would be too, if I were giving my eldest daughter away because I couldn't follow the rules of the beast. _She stopped herself any further, suddenly realizing that she was beginning to sound selfish in her thoughts. But then again, in her opinion, everyone was selfish sometimes. She, like any other person was human after all; she made mistakes and had faults just like anyone else.

Soraya busied herself with cleaning herself up a bit after her morning ride and taking a hot bath to soothe her tense muscles – and nerves. With a small sigh, she sank deep into the hot water. "Oh. This feels good. Perhaps this is exactly what anyone should do who is upset with too much on their mind."

Looking out the bathroom window, she became lost in her thoughts once more. Only this time, they were about the mysterious creature she would be meeting in no time at all. _This beast…I wonder what he's like. What's his name? What does he sound like? Will we get along? After all, I'll be there for awhile, so I would hope we would not argue. Will I be afraid of him? Many others are…what should make me any different? Though, he was obviously not a total monster. He did allow Father and Shadow to stay and he spared his life. Granted, it was in exchange for me being a prisoner, but he did spare him twice instead of killing him. If anything, he seems fair. Hopefully he is. What does he look like? Those eyes. Father said he had kind, understanding eyes. Perhaps his personality matches them. Though, until I meet him, I won't know for sure._

"What am I doing?" she asked herself. "I should be preparing, not sitting here daydreaming and losing myself to the crevices of my inner mind!" Hurriedly, Soraya got out of the bathing tub, got dressed and went downstairs. Once there, she joined her siblings in the kitchen to make breakfast. Shortly afterward, her father arrived home once again. After greeting each of his children and eating one last family breakfast together, Theron and Soraya began to finalize the preparations for her to take her leave that night.

"Soraya," Theron called, "I don't mean to rush…but it may be best for you to finish packing your belongings now. We don't want you to be late and have to travel that dreaded forest after nightfall. Like I told you many times before, God only knows what kind of creatures dwell there that we can't see once night's cloak had encompassed the forest."

Nodding in agreement, she replied to her father. "Of course, Father. There isn't need to worry, though. I'm almost finished. I packed most of what I felt I needed this morning before I took Shadow out."

Once again, perhaps for the last time, Soraya climbed the stairs to her room. Upon entering, she looked around, salty tears beginning to form in the corners of her eyes. However, she knew she needed to remain as strong as she could. If she didn't, she knew her composure would be lost and it would be impossible to regain it. She quickly blinked her tears away, when she heard a knock at the door.

"Who is it?" Soraya inquired.

"Faith," came the answer from the other side of the door.

Soraya smiled weakly and acknowledged her, "Come in, Faith. It's okay."

Faith opened the door and entered the room, with a small smile on her face. Though, even though she too was trying to put up a brave act, Soraya knew she had been crying. She could see the tear tracks down Faith's face.

Both sisters embraced each other in an instant hug.

Faith looked up at her older sister. "Soraya, I wish you didn't have to leave. But I wanted to say thank you…because if you weren't going, then that would mean that father would have to. And I don't want you to go…I don't. But I wanted to make sure I told you that from one sister to another, I appreciate what you are doing; for father, for me, for all of us. You shouldn't even have to go, and I'm sorry. If I could go, I would -"

Soraya smiled a half smile at her sister before cutting her off, "It's alright Faith. Thank you for being so appreciative. I don't want to go either, but I know I must, even though it will be hard. I know it won't be simple, not just on me, but on everyone. And I also know that you would go if you could. I know that, trust me. And that is exactly the reason why I am going now; because you're my family and I'm yours. We love each other and protect each other. And I know you'd do the same for me."

Suddenly, before she knew what was happening, Soraya was engulfed in a bone crushing hug. Faith was sniffling and she heard a muffled, "I love you…and I'm going to miss you so much."

She felt her resolve crumbling. Hot tears started to stream from her crystalline eyes. "Faith, I know. I love you too. I love you all. And I'm going to miss you too. Much more than you know. Though hopefully, you can visit. Perhaps even the beast will let me visit you after awhile…You know what Mother said. 'The future is a novel unwritten. No one but the author knows what is to come.' All we can do is hope for the best…But, oh, I will miss you all too much." Soraya wrapped her arms around her sister and they both allowed each other to cry, even if only for awhile.

Once again, all good things must come to an end. It wasn't long before Theron was calling up the stairs to his daughter, "Soraya! It's time to go. We mustn't linger too long. Night approaches!"

Reaching up, and drying her tears as well as Faith's, Soraya slowly stood. Her stomach was tossing and turning, and felt as though it had a life of its own. "Coming, Father. I'm on my way."

_And so it begins…_She thought as she was going down the stairs and heading toward the front door. _Here we go…_

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: I apologize to everyone for the delay in updates. I was forced to take a break from this story when my mother went into the hospital in October and passed away unexpectedly. Things were crazy, and I couldn't take the stress. For my own health, I had to take a hiatus from several aspects of my life, because I was overwhelmed with grief. Once again, I apologize. I will be trying to write more, as much as I can – as well as updating more often. Hopefully you all understand.**

**I also know that my teaser from Chapter Two stated that we'd be meeting the beast this chapter, but I felt that my story needed a bit more development. I don't want to rush it, and I needed a filler chapter to get back into the pace of writing. Thank you for your understanding and co-operation. It is much appreciated.**

**I love you guys! I love all of my readers, especially those who review. If you like the story thus far, please drop me a PM or a review and let me know. I love your comments and opinions. Kudos to all that review!**

**And I'd like to send out a big thank you to my dearest friend and fellow author, LucyCrewe11. Thank you for all of your support and constructive criticism, Lucy. If it weren't for reading your awesome stories, I might not have tried to write some of my own.**


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